Flying-machine.



V. SKRIVANEK. FLYING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 25, 1913. RENEWED NOV. 2

Patented June 12, 1917,

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

V.-SKR\VANEK.

E Y. FLYING MACIHNE. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 25'. 1913. RENEWED NOV. 25. 1916- 1,230,045. Patentedlune 12,1917

2 SHEETSSH EET 2.

VLADIMIR SKRIVANEK, or ron'r mesa, INDIANA.

FLYING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 12, 1917..

Application filed February 25, 1913, Serial 1T0. 750,634. Renewed November 25, 1916. Serial No. 133,487,

- To all whom it may concern:

Be i known that I, VLADIMIR SKRIVANEK, a citizen of the U. S. of America, residing at Fort WVayne, inthe county of Allen and State of .Indiana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Flying-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to flying machines, including balloons and other-aircraft, and particularly to the propelling and steering devices thereof, the object of the invention claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a View in side elevation of a flying machine embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view on an enlarged scale. f

Fig. 1 is a similar view of the rear propeller and its driving and adjusting devices.

In the accompanying drawings, I have shown the application of my invention to a monoplane machine, 1 designating the body of the machine; 2 the'main frame thereof; and 3- the main plane or supporting surface.

Arranged at the front of the machine are propellers 4. and 5, keyed or otherwise secured to short shafts 6 universally. jointed to transmission shafts 7, as at 8. The shafts 7 carry sprocket wheels 9 connected by chains 10 with drive sprockets 11 on the drive'shaft 12 of a motor 13, suitably supported upon the main frame. In practice, one of the chains 10 is crossed or suitably geared with the shaft 12 to drive the shaft 7 I whichcon'stitute the jointed'portions of the shafts 7, are provided with fixed collars or sleeves 13' spaced from the hubs of the propellers 4 and 5, and loosely mounted on said shafts 6 between said collars 13 and the propeller hubs are sleeves 14, arranged to 'turn in contact w-ithxsuitable anti-friction bearings 15. The collars 14 are -jointed, as

thereof.

at 16, to a link bar or other suitable connection 17 whereby said collars 14 are held stationary in the revolution of the shafts 6 and the propellers 4 and 5 and whereby motion may be transmitted through said collars to swing the shafts 6 vertically or laterally in the same direction. The link 17 may receive motion from any suitable'operating device 18 whereby the propellers may be simultaneously adjusted in the same direction vertically or laterally and any suitable means may be employed for securing said operating device in adjusted position. It will be apparent from the construction described that both propellers may be normally' disposed to rotate upon horizontal,

parallel fixed axes for driving the machine forward in .a straight line, or that they may be adjusted either vertically or laterally from their normal plane of rotation to exert a pull'on either side of the longitudinal center of the machine or above or .below their normal centers of rotation to steer the m s chine laterally in either direction or vertically at the will of the the machine.

In conjunction with the front propellers 1 and 5, I may employ a rear propeller 20 keyed or otherwise fixed upon shaft 21 universally jointed, as zit-22, to the shaft 23 of the rear engine or .motor 24. The shaft 21 is provided with a fixed collar 25 arranged in spaced relation to the hub of the propeller, between which and said fixed collar 25 is interposed a collar or sleeve 26 formed integral with the propeller or shaft. A collar or sleeve 27 is loosely mounted on said shaft section 21 between the collars 25 and 26 and between this collar 27 and the collars 25 and 26 are interposed anti-friction bearings 28, by which the shaft and parts carried thereby may rotate without material resistance from the movable collar. The said movable collar is provided with two sets 'of arms 29 and 30 projecting laterally and vertieally from diametrically opposite sides To the horizontal arms are attached chains or other operating connections 31"and to the vertical arms are attached chains or other operating connections 32 which connections extend to one or more suitable controlling orstcering devices on the body-or main frame, whereby the shaft 21 may be swung either vertically or laterpilot or operator of ally for steering action of the propeller 2G.

, other and with the horizontal transverse axis 5 propellers may be mounted for steering ac:

tion as described at the front or rear of the machine for a combined propelling .and steering action. vI, .'therefore, do not limit the invention in these respects;

It-will be observed that my invention provides a main .frame carrying a supporting j surface and having relatively short and long head and tail frames, that the front propelling, mechanism is arranged at a point wholly in advance of a perpendicular line or plane intersecting the horizontal transverse axis of the machine and the centers of gravityand pressure when such centers and axis coincide and the machine is longitudinally balanced; also that therear propelling mechanism and aviators seat are disposed Wholly in rear" of such line, while the con- -trolling means, for adjusting therespectivc I ,p'ropellers is disposed at a point between the zs-aviatorsseat and such perpendicular line.

These elements are so proportioned as to weight that the weight of the head frame, front motor and front propelling mechanism normally counterbalances the Weight of the tail frame, rear motor, rear propelling mechanism, the aviators seat and that of an aviator of a determined weight, whereby when the machine is inflight underv allordinary or normal conditionsthe centers of gravity and pressure will cpincide vertically with each of the machine, or be in register with a perpendicular line intersecting the three men tioned'points. As a result, a machine which is normally balanced and neither head nor tail "heavy, andin which the balances are accurately preserved by the front and rear propellers is produced, whereby increased balancing efiiciency is obtained.

Having thus .describedthe invention I claim v 1. In a flying machine, the combination ofa main frame, a supporting surface carried by the main frame, relatively short and long head and tail frames respectively projecting from the. main frame, propelling mechanismmounted upon the head frame at .a point wholly in advance of a perpendicular line intersecting the horizontal transverse axis of the machine and the centers of gravity and pressure when the machine is balanced', an aviators seat mounted upon the head frame at a point in rear of such perpendicular line, propelling mechanism at the extremity ofthe tail frame, the said propelling mechanisms each embodying a driving motor and universally adjustablepropellers, and the rear propelling mechanism being arranged for cooperative action with the weight of the aviator to balance the weight of the forward propelling mechanism and maintain and establish coincidence between a perpendicular line intersecting such axis and the centers of gravity and pressure when the machine is in flight, and adjusting means disposed at a point between the aviators seat and such perpendicular line for transmitting adjusting motions to the respective propellers.

'2. In a flying machine, the combination of'a main frame having a supporting surface and a head frame extending in advance thereof, bearings upon said head" frame, a

pai of horizontal longitudinally extending shafts journaled upon said head frame on opposite sides of the longitudinal center of the machine, a motor mounted upon said head frame mainly in advance of said supporting surface, sprocket gears upon the shaft of said motor, sprocket gears upon the said longitudinally extending shafts, driving chains connecting the sprocket gears on the motorshaft with the sprocket gears on the longitudinally extending shafts, propeller shafts universally joined to said longitudinally extending shafts at points in advance of the head frame, hubs fixed to said propeller shafts and carrying propellers, collars fixed to said propeller-shafts in spacedrelation to said hubs, collars loosely mounted on the propeller shafts between the hubs and collars, anti-friction bearings between the loose collars and the coacting hubs and wardly beyond the motor and gearing, meansfor locking said lever in adjusted position,

and an aviators seat mounted upon the main frame adjacent to and in rear of said lever.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

VLADIMIR SKRIVANEK.

Witnesses:

VAELAR CERNY, FR. PRUCHA. 

